Big day: we’re finally sharing a full tour of both finished duplex kitchens — and announcing that both sides are now listed on Airbnb. Read on for photos, details, and how to book a week if you want to visit Cape Charles. (We think it’s the perfect summer getaway — but we may be biased.)
The first photo above shows the kitchen on the right side of the duplex with blue tile and wood cabinets. You may have seen parts of it in earlier posts about installing Ikea cabinets and tiling backsplashes. For this post, I’ll start on the opposite side — the kitchen with the pink tile and blue cabinets — and then share the other side so you can compare the two finishes and layouts.
To give some context, here’s a look back to when we bought the duplex in 2017. That photo shows the view from the living room toward what is now the kitchen — there was orange trim and a much smaller, oddly placed kitchen squeezed into a former side porch. Reworking that layout was a big part of the renovation.
We widened the doorway between the rooms and added a transom to improve flow and bring more light into the kitchen. Now you can see the tiled wall from the front door, which makes the space feel cohesive and bright.
That larger room became the new kitchen. We raised the window base to fit cabinetry and added pocket doors to close off the laundry when it’s running. The result is a much more functional layout with cleaner sightlines and better usability than the previous setup.
Both kitchens are now fully stocked for guests: blenders, toasters, coffee makers, pots and pans, knives, silverware, plates, cups, wine glasses, mugs, microwaves, Tupperware, and basic pantry items like salt and pepper. We even left a cheese grater, wine opener, and chip clips on each side — the essentials for a relaxed vacation rental.
We didn’t tile the stove wall with the pattern because two patterned walls felt too busy. Instead, we installed a durable, easy-to-clean planked treatment on that side. It’s thin plywood cut into horizontal planks, installed with small spacers and painted semi-gloss to match the cabinets. It’s wipeable, inexpensive, and gives the kitchen a subtle, coastal-modern texture without competing with the feature tile wall.
We used an Ikea range hood insert that installs seamlessly inside cabinetry to keep the look built-in. Because we can’t vent through the shared duplex firewall, we chose the charcoal filter/recirculation option. That’s why there’s a small gap above the cabinet — the filtered air needs somewhere to escape.
For refrigeration we selected a straightforward top-freezer model without an ice maker or water dispenser to reduce maintenance and eliminate potential leaks in a seasonal rental. It’s built into a cabinet surround so it looks integrated with the kitchen, and we leave ice in the freezer and a Brita filter in the fridge for guests.
We’re excited about the cabinet-front dishwasher — our first time doing a panel-ready model — which preserves that clean continuous cabinet line on the focal wall. Our plumber handled the installation; we attached the matching panel and hardware ourselves using the template they provide, and it came together cleanly.
The floating shelves are custom-built and slightly deeper and sturdier than the ones we’ve done in other rooms so they can hold lots of bowls and mugs. We’ll share a build tutorial soon, including how we drilled into tile without mishap. Sherry finished the shelves in the same “Special Walnut” stain we used for the floors so they feel warm and slightly aged next to the fresh cabinetry.
On the other side of the duplex the layout is a mirror of this kitchen but the finishes differ: brass hardware, different shelving, and a wood cabinet option (Ikea Askersund) paired with blue tile. Widening the doorway and adding the transom opened the whole area up and let in a lot more natural light, making the space feel airy and welcoming.
We designed the floating shelves to be 8″ deep on purpose — deep enough for common items but narrow enough to discourage heavy plates and large bowls from being stored on them. Most of the serving ware, plates, and glassware remain behind cabinet doors to limit dust and keep the open shelving for everyday mugs, measuring cups, cutting boards, and decorative items.
We’ve stocked both sides with plenty of basics (zip-top bags, oil, Pyrex, strainers, soap, and more). The storage might be lighter than a full-time chef’s kitchen, but we have the essentials covered — and three cabinets/drawers to spare for anything guests might need.
Next week we hope to share photos of both finished mudroom/laundry rooms and the twin-bed sleeping nooks. The backyard is still in progress, but you’ll soon have a nearly complete view of both sides of the duplex.
If you want to rent the duplex, each side is listed separately on Airbnb. Each side sleeps up to six people (plus one baby — we provide a pack ’n play and sheet). To book the whole house, check availability and reserve both sides for the same dates.
At the moment we’re offering weekly Saturday-to-Saturday rentals for peak summer (late June through August). If you need shorter stays or off-season dates in the future, we plan to open up more flexible options in spring and fall. Note: for allergy and noise sensitivity, these rentals are not pet-friendly.
Update: bookings are filling fast. There are just a couple of weeks left open on the right side; we’ll announce additional off-season availability when it’s ready.
Opening the duplex as a vacation rental is exciting and a little nerve-wracking, so please be patient with us as we work out the details. We’ll share what we learn along the way and post more tutorials soon — including the planking and floating shelf builds and a cabinet organization tour once everything is fully in place.
P.S. For local recommendations and ideas of things to do in town, check our Cape Charles Travel Guide we published last year — the area keeps adding new shops and bakeries, so there’s always something fresh to discover.
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